


Five Seconds

by ninetytwodegree



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Best Friends Chanbaek, Bittersweet, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 15:00:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20244736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninetytwodegree/pseuds/ninetytwodegree
Summary: Baekhyun might or might not caught feelings for Chanyeol. But high school would end in a blink of an eye, separating the two best friends away from each other.





	Five Seconds

It was probably going to be the last day they saw each other. Not for several years, at least. Chanyeol was off to Japan for his music degree and Baekhyun was bound to fly to the US for his design classes.

Almost half of them were graduating, four out of twelve bunches. And two were ready to start another chapter in other countries. So Junmyeon, being the caretaker of the group that he was, asked them if they wanted to meet up the day before Baekhyun’s flight. He arranged the meeting by himself, even when he was busy with his college life. Baekhyun teased him for being too caught up with the past, but when Junmyeon hugged him he knew he almost cried for the older’s thoughtfulness. So there they were, all twelve of them, cramping inside Junmyeon and Minseok’s apartment.

And among the bunches that Baekhyun came to love as much as his family, there was Chanyeol as well.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol were always known for having as the closest pair of friends in school. Ones that barely ever spent together but they understood each other more than anyone else. They were nothing like Yifan and Junmyeon who had been friends probably since Junmyeon’s birth, nor they were like Luhan who took an interest immediately once he saw Sehun for the first time. There wasn’t something special about their first meeting. Just a small boy who just moved to the capital meeting with an overgrown boy with large ears. Just Baekhyun and Chanyeol being friends.

Somewhere along the way, Baekhyun realized that he had crossed some boundaries. Feelings were grown, along the decreasing time they could spend together.

It was probably going to be the last day they saw each other. Even when Luhan threatened them to go back home at least once a year. Baekhyun knew he wouldn’t anyway. So maybe Baekhyun didn’t want any regret left.

Looking at his surroundings, he deemed that the time was good enough to tell Chanyeol everything. Junmyeon was telling his struggles in classes to Minseok, Luhan, and Yifan, while Yixing was barely awake next to them. Kyungsoo and Jongin were engrossed in their own world, bodies pressed together in a small piano chair. Sehun and Tao were cuddling on the sofa in front of Baekhyun, and next to them Chanyeol and Jongdae were conversing quietly. 

_ It’s okay, it’s just Jongdae _, Baekhyun thought.

Slowly, Baekhyun got up from his seat and approached the two males. He offered his hand up, gaining a raised eyebrow from both of them. But Baekhyun’s eyes were set on Chanyeol. “Can we talk?”

Chanyeol took a single glance over the hand, then at Jongdae who nodded, before carefully weaving his fingers in between Baekhyun’s. Even if Chanyeol noticed how sweaty Baekhyun’s palm was, he didn’t comment on it.

“Sure.”

* * *

“So, what are we talking about again?” Chanyeol asked once there wasn’t anyone else in sight. He managed to pull Baekhyun to the hallway after taking Junmyeon’s spare key. 

Baekhyun looked at his best friend closely. In the span of three years of high school, Chanyeol had grown more beautiful. Jongdae and Kyungsoo would hit him in his head if they ever heard him saying that, but it was what Baekhyun felt anyway. And as he expected, Baekhyun couldn’t even utter a word out. So he did the next best thing he could do. Baekhyun pulled his hand away and moved forward to stand in front of his friend.

“I need you to stay still for five seconds. Don’t move and don’t say anything. Just five seconds, okay?” Well, at least he didn’t crack his voice.

Chanyeol only frowned at the order. But confusion was clear on his face. “Huh? Okay?”

Baekhyun didn’t waste any more time. He took a deep breath before diving under the taller’s embrace as he circled his arms around the well-built torso.

_ Five. _

Baekhyun felt like being suffocated. Everything got harder now that he took a chance.

_ Four. _

He didn’t even know it was worth the try.

_ Three. _

Would Chanyeol even understand what Baekhyun was trying to say through the hug?

_ Two. _

Maybe it was a bad idea after all.

_ One. _

Oh well. His time was up anyway. He could run away from Chanyeol after this.

Once he pulled away, Baekhyun gave the other a small smile. “Thank you.”

* * *

Chanyeol didn’t say anything. But he pulled Baekhyun’s wrist when his friend tried to leave the hallway either to run back home or to get back inside the apartment. Looking at Baekhyun’s eyes, he then asked, “Can I talk now?”

Baekhyun was taken aback at the request, but hopefully he didn’t show it to Chanyeol. Unsure of what to expect, he just nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

“Good. Now, stay still for five seconds and don’t say anything,” Chanyeol said.

Baekhyun didn’t get the chance to respond as Chanyeold engulfed him in a tight embrace. Stunned by the action — even when Baekhyun was the one who started it — he put his arms back over Chanyeol’s broad shoulders, circling around his neck and seeking for comfort that he knew he would never get in the near future. Chanyeol’s hand started moving towards the top of Baekhyun’s head, patting it lightly, as if he knew that it would break all the defence system Baekhyun was trying to keep.

Of course. All hell broke loose. Beakhyun began sobbing soundlessly.

Chanyeol kept stroking the smaller’s hair, murmuring soothing words endlessly. “It’s okay, Baek. We are okay. We’ll be okay.”

Baekhyun whined, because Chanyeol wouldn’t know that. Even after minutes of full sobbing, Chanyeol kept his hand on Baekhyun’s hair. Baekhyun tried to find comfort from the gesture, but it only hurt him more.

“I —,” Baekhyun hiccuped. “I just want you to know.”

Chanyeol’s hug got tighter. Baekhyun could feel the taller taking a deep breath and planting kisses on his temple. “And I do, Baek. I do. So do you, don’t you?”

Baekhyun cried even harder at the implication.

“I do.”

**Author's Note:**

> ◉‿◉


End file.
